This invention relates generally to safety devices that are separate from, but securable to, a firearm to prevent discharge of the firearm by unauthorized users.
The use of separable locks and other locking mechanisms, including electronic devices, to prevent discharge of a firearm by unauthorized persons is commonplace and a wide variety of devices and techniques have been advanced. The majority of such devices either interfere with the trigger or firing mechanism to prevent discharge of the firearm by an unauthorized user. These devices generally are not directed to preventing loading or unloading of ammunition or disassembly of the firearm on which they are used.
Cable type firearm locking devices are also known. Such devices require a user to thread a cable into a first aperture in the firearm receiver, through the receiver to a connected second aperture and out of the receiver through the second aperture to render the firearm incapable of discharge. Naturally, this type of locking device cannot be used with firearms of the type having only one aperture or with firearms of the type having an action that prevents threading the cable through the receiver from the first aperture to the second aperture. Additionally, the known cable type locking devices are disadvantageous in that they do not prevent access to restricted areas of the firearm receiver.